Fritter frying tips

Here are some of chef Laura Frankel's tips for pain-free frying

We loved the rich flavor of the bimuelos from today's Hanukkah cover story, festival of fritters. If they sound good to you, but you are wary of frying, chef Laura Frankel might be of help.

"People frying at home always seems scary to me," admits Frankel, author of "Jewish Cooking for All Seasons." It can be done, though, safely and relatively easily.

Here are some of Frankel's tips for pain-free bimuelo frying.

• Choose the right pan. "Go deeper than a saute pan," Frankel said. One of those deep skillets used for fried chicken or a heavy-bottomed saucepan could work.

• Have your bimuelos ready and fully risen before heating the oil.

• Choose the right oil. Frankel uses a mild extra-virgin olive oil heated to 350 degrees, no higher because olive oil has a low smoking point. Olive oil has a more authentic flavor, she says, though cold-pressed canola or grapeseed oil may be substituted, Frankel said. Tori Avey's recipe for bimuelos calls for grapeseed or peanut oil, which have higher smoke points, and a frying temperature of 365 degrees.

• Use a candy/deep-fry thermometer to check oil temperature. Remember the oil temperature will drop when the fritters are added.